Otti frowns at Reps deputy speaker’s persistent antagonism against his government

From Okey Sampson, Umuahia

Abia State government has accused the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and lawmaker representing Bende Federal Constituency,  Benjamin Kalu, of persistent antagonism against the Governor Alex Otti administration.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Ukoha Njoku Ukoha, accused Kalu of engaging in acts that are at variance with his claim of being the governor’s friend.

Ukoha equally accused Kalu of engaging in acts that disrespected the office of the governor and capable of causing breach of peace in the state.

The statement mentioned an incident in Igbere, Bende local government area, where the Deputy Speaker allegedly took the laws into his hands by demolishing a school building meant for reconstruction by the state government.

Ukoha claimed after that the Deputy Speaker ran to the Presidency to report the state government with an intent of painting Governor Otti black, while presenting a distorted account of the incident.

Otti, the statement said prioritises governance over what it described as petty politics which it accused the Deputy Speaker of trying to draw the Governor into.

“Governor Otti pledged support for projects attracted by Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu and other Federal Lawmakers to their constituencies, the Governor has also demonstrated genuine commitment to collaboration with Hon. Kalu by generously allocating a parcel of land to the Deputy Speaker for a housing project he attracted to his constituency in the recent past.

“Specifically, the Governor allocated a large expanse of land Along Umuahia-Bende Road for the Construction of a housing Estate. 

“Governor Otti, refusing to bow to political pressure to withhold assent, gave his express approval and the land was made available for the project as a mark of support, collaboration and goodwill.

“The Governor has consistently kept his doors open to Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, Unfortunately the latter’s actions tell a completely different story.

“The reckless demolition of Eluokwu Community School in Igbere, Bende LGA, a public school earmarked and awarded to a contractor for upgrade to a smart school by the State Government, without consulting the relevant agencies of the State contrasts sharply with Governor Otti’s commitment to due process when dealing with other arms of government on matters of project execution.

“The demolition of Eluokwu Community School in Igbere on the orders of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives was a deliberate affront to the State Government.

“It is strange that even after meeting the presence of the contractors handling the upgrade at the site, agents of the federal lawmaker still went ahead to pull down the building in flagrant disregard to all known conventions of decency.

“One would have thought that as a lawmaker with a good handle on the provisions of the law, Rt. Hon Kalu would have approached the State Government for an alternative location for his project, a request that the State Chief Executive, in his usual magnanimity, would have granted without hesitation.

“It is regrettable that after the demolished school was sealed by the State Government in line with the provisions of the law, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu  ignored all channels of resolution within the State and ran off to Abuja to report.

“Expectedly, the authorities he reported to, after thorough investigation, admonished him against acting in a manner that reeks of complete disregard for due process and disrespect to the Governor.

“They advised that when next he wants to embark on such projects, appropriate approvals must be sought and secured from the relevant local authorities.

“This is the same lawful approach the Governor has repeatedly followed in the execution of several federal projects in the state, a standard that has seen him establish a harmonious relationship with the Federal Government. Sadly, Honourable Kalu prefers drama to decorum and due process.”

On the request by the Deputy Speaker for Governor Otti to join the APC, Ukoha said, “Abia Governor appreciates Rt. Hon. Kalu’s invitation to join his political party which apparently had either been declined or ignored. At any rate, now that the Deputy Speaker has, in his own words, ‘shut the door,’ one may also advise that he leaves a window open should the need arise for him to use it for emergency escape or at the minimum, get some fresh air.”